There are four key competencies that will help you become a career and life success:

You have to be able to create positive personal impact.

You have to be become an outstanding performer.

You have to be a dynamic communicator – in conversation, writing and presentations.

You have to build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life.

Positive habits are an important key to outstanding performance. Positive time management is an important habit to develop. Habits are like muscles. The more you use them, the stronger they get.

Here in Colorado, we are required to get our cars checked to ensure that they meet clean air emissions standards before we can renew our license plates. It’s a good law, one that helps with the air quality in our beautiful state. It’s also a pain in the butt. It requires a trip to an emissions monitoring station and waiting in line for the test. My plates renew in October, so yesterday I spent a couple hours getting my car tested. It passed.

Cathy laughed at me as I was leaving the house with my briefcase, which had my cell phone, a couple of books and a bottle of water. She said I would probably be the only one at the emissions testing facility reading a book. That was OK. I had just received a review copy of Gary Vaynerchuk’s new book Crush It. I wanted to read it so I could review it on this blog – and to learn a few things. By the way, Crush It is a great book – not just for entrepreneurs. I’ll do a post on it next week.

Carrying a book with me is one of my time management positive habits. Sometimes it’s a novel. Most times it’s a business or inspirational book. I am in the habit of using spare moments to read and learn. Yesterday, I was able to read the first four chapters of Crush It while I was waiting for my emissions test. I also took some notes — ideas that I plan on incorporating into my business. Not a bad use of my time.

I read while waiting for appointment with clients. I read while waiting for my dentist, or doctor – and you know how long those waits can be. I read when I go to get my car washed. I read before a movie if I’m by myself. This is a small habit, but one that allows me to read at least two more books a month than I normally would. That’s 24 books a year – and a lot of good ideas to help me grow my business.

Reading spurs ideas. These ideas give me inspiration for this blog. They help me make decisions about my business. They help me clarify my thinking on my passion – helping others create the career and life success they want and deserve. Reading in spare moments is one of my most positive habits. What is your most positive habit? If you are thinking that you don’t have many positive habits, I suggest you check out Dan Robey’s site www.thepowerofpositivehabits.com. There’s a lot to be learned there.

The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are competent. They set high goals and achieve them. Positive habits will help you reach your goals – but only if you take the time to develop them. Reading in “found moments” – the time I spend waiting is one of my positive habits. I’m amazed at how much I can learn just by always having a book with me. Today I learned a lot about personal branding by reading the first four chapters of Gary Vaynerchuk’s book Crush It. Take the time to develop some positive habits of your own. You’ll be surprised at how much they help your productivity.

That’s my take on reading as a time management positive habit. What’s yours? What are some of the positive habits that have served you well over the years? How did you develop them? Please take a minute and leave comment sharing your thoughts and ideas with us. As always, thanks for reading.